Like a lot of people who’ve played the game, Ovince St. Preux often talks about life in terms of football.

On Saturday, he returns to compete for the first time since losing his first game on his new team: Strikeforce.

And while the former University of Tennessee defensive end and linebacker isn’t thrilled to be fighting on the heels of a loss, he’s used it to come back a stronger competitor.

“That loss taught me a lot,” St. Preux today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “It taught me I can hang up there with the top-10 in my weight class. That loss is considered a win for me because I learned a lot from it.”

This past December, Gegard Mousasi dominated him at “Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal.” St. Preux went the distance, but it was clear that he was in over his head against the vastly more experienced Mousasi.

Prior to the setback, “OSP” had won eight straight including three within three months under the Strikeforce banner. The streak put him on the list of contenders to watch. The setback adjusted expectations.

St. Preux said there’s a certain inevitability about the choices of a team. The strongest member is looked to when decisions are made and opportunities are given out. He was used to that in football.

In MMA, he can rely upon his team, but he ultimately has to be the strongest member because he’s the only one that will compete.

After the Mousasi loss, he went back to the drawing board.

“It’s one of those things where when you have win streak like that, it’s hard to keep a long win streak,” St. Preux said. “Eventually, something is going to happen. It’s hard to continue in every single fight bringing your A-game. I was honest: I wasn’t in my A-game.”

St. Preux said he’s built himself up since then, and is ready to press on against Cook.

As for Mousasi, he’s convinced a second fight would be another one for the win column.

“I’ve always told myself that if I lose, that person is not ever going to forget me,” he said. “And I guarantee you if we fought again, it would be a different ballgame, or he wouldn’t want to take that fight.”

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

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